Nanashi
by Osyris Diamond
Summary: Zaraki Kenpachi was never given a birth name, but that never stopped him from becoming a Shinigami. Unconventional in every part of his life, only Bankai remained out of his reach. That is, until he realized that a name is only what you make of it.


Zaraki Kenpachi laughed with a crazed delight as the horde of horō encircled him once more while the bodies of those sliced by his zanpakutō dissolved into the cool night air. His signature eye patch was missing and the pressure of his spiritual power, though weakened, still filled the area around him as blood ran down the left side of his head. The full moon watched over the large clearing of grass amongst the grove of tall conifer trees where they stood. The screeches and screams from his zanpakutō, which could only be heard by a select few, were beginning to grow weaker and more strained.

"Wow, only twenty left to go," remarked Kusajishi Yachiru as she sat on Madarame Ikkaku's right shoulder, "Ken-chan's slow tonight."

"I fear it is more than that," implied Ikkaku, kneeling down on a tress branch at the edge of the small meadow, "I've not seen him so long in battle at full strength. And these horō are stronger than usual."

"Are you suggesting he'll lose, Ikkaku?" asked Ayasegawa Yumichika, standing next to him on another branch, "That's rather unlike you."

"You know I wouldn't think it if I was confident he'd win," rebut Ikkaku.

"So why do you think so, cue-ball?" asked Yachiru.

Ikkaku took a deep breath and ignored the nickname, "The horō keep replenishing their numbers and grow in strength. Moreover, the reaction time of our master has become slower over time. Any other Taichō would have utilized their bankai by now. Ours is fortunate to have his zanpakutō always in its shikai form; but I am beginning to fear his current abilities are still not enough."

"You do have a point," remarked Yumichika, "He has purified twice the group but made no progress."

"Oh," said Yachiru, looking disheartened, "That would hurt your chances to fight Ken-chan again, huh; but I don't think you need to worry so much. There's no situation Ken-chan can't handle!"

"I hope you're right," Ikkaku sighed, "For all our sakes..."

Meanwhile, back on the ground, Kenpachi found himself unable to make contact with his opponents.

"What's the matter, Shinigami?" mocked one horō that resembled a large bat, "Too tired to fight?"

"Shut you trap, vermin," smiled Kenpachi, "I just wanted to see how long I could hold out like this."

"And now what will you do?" asked another, "Rumor has it you have no bankai; Pathetic!"

"Do I?" smirked Kenpachi deviously.

"NO!" laughed a larger horō, "Because you don't know your zanpakutō's name!"

"So?" chuckled Kenpachi, "Hell, I don't even know my own true name; but such things don't matter."

"To a dead man? No," growled yet another horō smugly, "Which is what you're gonna be!"

"This must be the craziest shinigami we've ever encountered," remarked a dog-shaped horō, "And I have yet to see why so many of us have fallen by his blade... he's all bark and no bite."

"Maybe he's just a sacrificial lamb sent to the slaughter," a horō chuckled in the form of a wolf, "All those he killed were young and inexperienced; and now that he's worn himself out on those weaker than ourselves, he'll be no match for us; especially since his abilities are less than others of his rank!"

"You all talk too much," Kenpachi huffed, "I'm here to have fun. So, let's get down to business!"

A disillusioned silence was immediately followed by a rush of riotous laughter by all the horō.

"Bankai Nanashi Zansatsu!" yelled Kenpachi abruptly.

Suddenly, the laughter died as Kenpachi's spiritual pressure tripled, catching everyone in the region by surprise. A disembodied roar like that from Hell itself whistled distantly in the cool night air. Kenpachi smiled deviously big as he placed his zanpakutō on his shoulder while horror befell the horō. Nanashi Zansatsu was now undamaged and appeared freshly forged. Within moments, it began to bleed. Covering the entire blade, the blood then oozed onto Kenpachi's white kosode and obi sash, turning them crimson. However, this was not what struck terror into the horō; for above him hovered a tall figure cloaked in tattered black that wielded a large demonic scythe. It's arms and hands were bleached bones and a dark aura hid its feet and face. The scythe's cherry-wood staff was as tall as the figure, which was comparable to Kenpachi in height and build. Its long curved gunmetal gray blade was wide and engraved with the faces of various infamous oni.

"Master!" gasped Ikkaku quietly as he and the others looked on, "So, you've finally done it."

"He did it! He finally..." squealed Yachiru until Ikkaku covered her mouth, to which she bit his fingers.

Ikkaku wrenched in pain.

"We shouldn't draw the horō's attention," reminded Yumichika to Yachiru, "Besides, this is not our fight."

Yachiru simply huffed as Ikkaku nursed his sore fingers.

"Wh-what the hell is-is that thing!?" stuttered one of the horō.

"Can't say," replied Kenpachi, looking up, "Must be Nanashi's spiritual form. Who knows?"

"You mean to tell us you've only achieved this just now!?" demanded a horō what looked like a bear.

"Yep," smiled Kenpachi, "Looks like I finally figured it out. You see, I never had a name; so one day I decided to give myself one. While being nameless does not make you any less alive, having one allows a person to become whole. Knowing that, it was a simple matter of doing the same to my zanpakutō. Now, let's see what Nanashi Zansatsu can really do!"

Before the horō could react, Kenpachi spun about and sliced through the first row of horō. All five dissolved into the air. His division members could not keep focus with his increased speed. As if on cue, the figured reappeared beside him. Within an instant, it performed the same move and even seemed to pass through Kenpachi. This time, ten horōs were destroyed. Those that remained were frozen with fear and utter disbelief.

"Im-impossible!" shrieked a horō with a large mouth.

"Maybe; maybe not," grinned Kenpachi, "Let's find out!"

With lighting speed, Kenpachi charged the remaining horō and impaled two of them. At the same time, the cloaked figure raised its blade and dashed in the opposite direction. With one mighty thrust, it destroyed the remaining three. The meadow was now empty as a light breeze blew, sweeping the grass. Ikkaku and the others were more than impressed.

"Wow, now that's one killer Bankai!" smiled Yumichika, jumping down.

"This changes everything," smiled Ikkaku smugly, following suit, "This surely makes our Master the strongest Taichō! Our coming battle will be all the sweeter!"

"You bet!" giggled Yachiru, jumping down and running ahead.

Kenpachi grinned proudly as he wiped his face. The cloaked figured hovered next to him.

"Nice Bankai," complimented Yachiru as she leaped up to Kenpachi's shoulder, "So, what's its name?"

"Still don't know," chuckled Kenpachi, "I just called it Nanashi because it was an apt name for the embodiment of a nameless soul. I knew Bankai required my zanpakutō to have an improved title so I decided to add the name of the legionary bleeding katana, Zansatsu."

"Well, now that you have achieved your Bankai, why not ask your zanpakutō its true name?" suggested Yumichika.

"Guess I should," agreed Kenpachi as he turned to the cloaked form, "Hey, you have a name?"

"I have none," replied the figure in a deep disembodied demonic voice, "As I am apart of you, I was also formed without a name. It was not fear nor mistrust that Zangetsu sensed in me when we first battled him and his master but lamenting that I would never be allowed to realize my true form. I did all I could but was limited from achieving more. Now that I have a name, I am free to drink fully of the blood and spiritual energy that I crave. The name Nanashi is more than enough for me."

"Heh," smirked Kenpachi, "I think I like you. So, do you have a face?"

"I do," replied Nanashi as it pulled back its hood.

The others gasped as a bleached-white skull emerged from the darkness. It bore a striking resemblance to Kenpachi's, including the familiar scar that ran vertically down its left side. Ikkaku then noticed that the engraved oni faces of the scythe were now outlined in crimson. Kenpachi chuckled deviously.

"We began the night with the goal to kill a shinigami or two," announced a loud deep voice from behind the group, "We first considered going after just a Taichō; but why stop there? Perhaps we'll kill an entire division! How wonderful it would be! Especially after how many of us y'all killed..."

The group spun about to see the forest filled with horō on all sides. Their numbers could not be easily counted and it was apparent their power and strength was greater than the previous horde. While at first surprised, Kenpachi and the others quickly became bemused by the situation. Amongst the horde stood a taller than average horō with a large build and long bird-like wings.

"We've rallied the troops for this one, shinigami," grinned the tall horō, "You all will now die!"

"For every kill you achieve, I can double it," informed Nanashi, "The blood and spiritual power I release from your enemies is absorbed within the faces of my blade. They will heal your wounds and renew your strength and spiritual power. So long as your zanpakutō runs red, you will be able to continue in battle."

"I like your style," chuckled Kenpachi, "Yachiru, stay here with the others. I want to see just how far Nanashi and I can go."

"Okay!" smiled Yachiru as she jumped down, "Have fun!"

"You'll forgive me, Ikkaku and Yumichika, if I steal all your fun tonight," grinned Kenpachi.

"You owe us," smirked Ikkaku, "Anyway, I want to see your Bankai in action!"

Yumichika agreed.

"Good," nodded Kenpachi, "Now, Nanashi Zansatsu, let's paint the night red!"


End file.
